Set up automatic bank transfers to chop your income into % parts: 5% play money, 20% savings, bills etc. do what works for you. Get rid of unnecessary subscriptions.
I don’t have enough to chop my money into anything other than 75% rent, 20% car payment, 5% food for my dog.
But I do put that rent and car payment in a savings account and pay from that. Those fractions of a penny per month add up; after 5 years I have 77 cents in my savings account!
Yes, the used car market is full of predators charging 200% more than what a junker is worth because there’s nothing stopping them. And I also agree that keeping the minimum wage literal decades behind productivity breeds an environment where people are assigned a made up number that tells banks it’s ok to gouge this person on interest rates. Full agreement with you there.
Privacy.com is your friend. Free and makes ‘uncancellable’ subscriptions a thing of the past